The Africa-China Centre for Policy & Advisory, an Accra-based think tank, published in January 2026 a paper titled "Why People Matter: Reimagining the Future of Africa-China Cooperation" by Paul Frimpong.
The Africa-China connection needs to shift from a primarily state-to-state model toward a society-to-society approach. Governments remain essential, but durable cooperation is built when universities, collaborate, journalists exchange perspectives, businesses form partnerships, and communities interact directly.
A second shift is from delivery-focused engagement to experience and impact-focused cooperation. Success should be measured not only by outputs--kilometers of road or megawatts of power--but by outcomes such as skills development, technology absorption, and local enterprise growth.
The third shift is from delivery exposure to mutual learning. People-to-people exchanges are most effective when they are reciprocal, allowing Africans and Chinese alike to learn, adapt, and innovate together. This mutuality strengthens trust and reinforces the principle of partnership.
